So, you just decided to buy a new set of headphones on Amazon. Chances are you made your choice based on what your friends said! Or that you follow a tech guru on social media and trust his reviews. As a result, this behavior has changed the way marketing is done.

According to a study by Collective Bias, 30% of consumers are likely to buy a product recommended by a non-celebrity blogger. It is mainly because they relate more to them and value their opinion. To clarify, the stat points at one of the most significant trends i.e. influencer marketing. Influencer marketing has been around for several years. Yet, you will find it picking up pace over the past few years.

It involves companies partnering with influencers to showcase their products or services. Above all, influencer marketing provides 11 times the ROI compared to other digital marketing methods. Still wondering, who is the driving force behind any influencer marketing campaign? It is a social media influencer.

Who is a social media influencer?

Social media influencers are the ones with a remarkable impact on their audience. They have gained credibility for their work, resulting in huge social media following. Hence appeal to a specific audience and can drive interactions. In addition, they understand the essence of your brand and create authentic content. An influencer could be a chef, tech expert, gamer, beauty expert or a blogger.

In today’s world, social media is at the forefront of learning, sharing and connecting with people. Besides, Social media influencers play a crucial role in forming the audience perception. In short, they reinforce your purchase decisions. Let us now look at the top social media influencers in different niches!

#Fashion

1. Danielle Bernstein

Danielle Bernstein is a well-known fashion blogger and social media influencer. Based in New York, she has 1.9 million followers on Instagram. Initially, her blog WeWoreWhat meant to provide outfit inspiration for women. But now grown to cover different areas- interior design, fashion and men’s wear. Meanwhile, she has introduced her line of clothing and accessories.

One of her famous influencer campaigns was with the brand Fiji. In short, she helped in promoting the brand’s commitment towards hydrating people. Telling others to stay fit like Bernstein.

A post shared by FIJI Water (@fijiwater) on Aug 29, 2017 at 9:46am PDT

2. Alexa Chung

Alexa Chung is a well-known British socialite and Instagram fashion influencer. She has 2.9 million followers and is a fashion design expert. Above all, she is in this industry for over 10 years. It wasn’t surprising; when she launched the fashion brand in her name in London in 2016. Further, she collaborated with AG Jeans to promote their Spring 2017 collection. The Spring 2017 collection marked the third consecutive year of collaboration. As a result, she is well regarded social media influencer.

3. Chiara Ferragni

Chiara Ferragni is a famous Italian social media influencer known for her blog, The Blonde Salad. She has around 15 million followers on Instagram. Besides, she has launched a fashion brand in her name selling that sells clothing and accessories. In 2017, she ranked first in the list of the most powerful fashion influencers by Forbes. You will find Harvard Business School case study on her blog, The Blonde Salad. Which is to state it is not merely a blog but a platform for partnerships and revenue. Above all, she has worked with brands like Guess and Gucci on ad campaigns. One of her campaigns was in collaboration with Pantene to be their Global Ambassador in 2016.

4. Julia Engel

Julia Engel is an American Instagram influencer and blogger. She started her blog; Gal Meets Glam when she was in college and has gathered around 1.2 million followers so far. Most importantly, her blog strives to inspire people with fashion, beauty, home and travel ideas. She has now extended her blog to a fashion brand of the same name. As a result, her style landed her in partnership with Tory Burch, Coach and Club Monaco among other projects. Consequently, she is among the top fashion influencers as published by Forbes in 2017. She collaborated with Tiffany and Co. in September 2017 to launch their new perfume in New York.

5. Jenn Im

Jenn Im is a Korean-American fashion Vlogger, designer, and social media influencer. Who started her career with a YouTube channel called ClothesEncounters. Hence, she primarily focused on producing fashion, makeup and lifestyle vlogs. Later, Im moved to Instagram and amassed around 1.2 million followers. In addition, she launched her brand called Eggie. She also collaborated with ColourPop Cosmetics to promote their new line of cosmetics in 2016. One of the lip products in the collection named ‘Jenneration X’.

6. Gabi Gregg

Gabi Gregg rose to fame when she posted a picture of herself in a bikini on social media. She is known as a top blogger and an Instagram fashion influencer with 600000 followers. Besides, she has launched her plus-sized swimwear collection Premme. Further, she has partnered with London-based lingerie and swimwear brand, Playful Promises. In other words, her unique approach has made her top the chart of social media influencer.

7. Anwar Hadid

Anwar Hadid is an upcoming social media influencer who is rising to fame in the fashion industry at the age of 18. Moreover, he is the brother of well-known models Gigi and Bella Hadid. Above all, he has amassed 2.4 million followers on Instagram.

Besides, Hadid has partnered with Hugo by Hugo Boss, Tommy Jeans, and Zadig Voltaire. In addition, he recently started working with IMG Models. Zadig Voltaire roped in Bella and Anwar Hadid to launch their Spring 2017 campaign.

#Gaming

1. PewDiePie

Swedish YouTuber and comedian Felix Kjelberg, better known as PewDiePie. Above all, he is one of the biggest gaming expert and social media influencer, with 71 million subscribers on YouTube. Felix began creating content for his channel in 2010. Formerly popular for his ‘Let’s Play’ videos of games. Now, he is more into vlogs and comedy. He has turned his gaming channel into a multi-million dollar business. The video game, Skate 3 became a bestseller because PewDiePie posted a series of videos about the game on YouTube.

2. Markiplier

Mark Fischbach or Markiplier is a top mobile game influencer. His X factors include playing some of the scariest games online. Further, talking throughout while playing them. He has amassed around 22 million subscribers on YouTube. Therefore, he is well-known for his Let’s Play videos of games like Five Nights at Freddy’s and Amnesia. As a result, Hollywood star Jack Black collaborated with Markiplier to promote his movie ‘Goosebumps’. The promotion was done by playing Five Nights at Freddy’s.

3. Jacksepticeye

Sean William McLoughlin or Jacksepticeye is an Irish YouTube influencer. Famous for his funny Let’s Play videos on games across different genres. He has earned 20 million subscribers. Sean created the YouTube channel in 2012. Most importantly, his connection with the audience was because of his personality.

4. Evan Fong

Another name to reckon with in the gaming influencer community, Evan Fong. Popular by his pseudonym, VanossGaming. Further, his logo is an image of an owl, which is why he and his characters usually appear with an owl mask. He has published compilations of funny moments while playing games such as Call of Duty and GTA V.

His commentary on video games is his specialty on his YouTube channel. Hence, Fong has collaborated with big names such as SeaNanners and Syndicate. As a result, he has 23 million subscribers. So if you find a leaderboard of social media influencers, he sure is in the forefront.

5. Ali-A

Ali-A is a British social media influencer known for his videos on games like Call of Duty and Fortnite. More importantly, with his other channel, Alastair Aiken focuses on other video games like Minecraft. To sum up, he has 15 million subscribers on YouTube. Besides, he collaborated with Gillette to promote their brand.

6. SSSniperWolf

Alia ‘Lia’ Sesh started by playing shooter games like Call of Duty and FarCry. Eventually, she began posting vlogs on video games. Further, she posts comedy vlogs too which makes her stand out. Meanwhile, she has 12 million subscribers. In addition, she has collaborated with fashion brands like Boohoo and SugarBearHair. Besides, she promotes these partnerships on her Instagram account.

#Fitness

1. Michelle Lewin

Michelle Lewin is a well-known Venezuelan fitness star. Initially worked in a clinic in Venezuela. However, she went on to become one of the biggest social media influencers. In partnership with fitness brands, Lewin has earned over $10,000 from her Instagram posts. In short, she is a bodybuilder who posts short videos to motivate her audience. Thus, starting her own line of supplements and workout equipment for home. Besides, she created two apps- Fitplan and Mealplan.

While Fitplan offers guided exercise tutorials and performance tracking. On the other hand, Mealplan helps you plan your diet according to your exercise regime. As a result, she has appeared on the covers of many magazines like Muscle & Fitness, Playboy and Oxygen. Likewise, she has a large following on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

2. Jennifer Selter

Jennifer Selter is a New York-based social media influencer. She creates content on nutrition and lifestyle. Firstly, she started creating content on fitness at a young age in high school when she worked as a clerk at a gym. However, her ticket to fame was a booty-boosting regimen that became viral. Consequently, she has earned 12.5 million followers on Instagram to her credit. Most importantly, she strives to build a community of like-minded people. Besides, encourage other women during their fitness journey. In addition, she runs other fitness pages on Instagram including @squatspo and @motivationforfitness. One of Jennifer’s campaigns includes a collaboration with TarteCosmetics.

3. Simeon Panda

Simeon Panda is a well-received British trainer. He has competed in several fitness competitions. You will spot him on the covers of fitness magazines such as Muscle and Fitness, MuscleMag and FitnessRX . With over 4.5 million followers on Instagram, Simeon Panda has now launched his line of sportswear and fitness accessories. Likewise, he has approximately 490000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. His popularity is the reason people choose him over other social media influencers.

4. Kayla Itsines

Kayla Itsines is an Australian fitness influencer who co-founded The Bikini Body Training Company. For instance, she ran a fitness and nutrition program called ‘The Bikini Body Guide’ and has co-authored them. To sum up, her main aim is to motivate women to stay fit and help them become happy and confident about their bodies. Hence, over 10 million women follow her workout regime and recipes. Further making her the top grossing social media influencer. She is active on Instagram and YouTube, with around 10 million followers on Instagram. In 2016, TIME Magazine named her among the ‘30 Most Influential People on Earth.’

5. Rachel Brathen

Rachel Brathen, also known as ‘Yoga Girl’. Subsequently, she rose to fame in 2013 when she used Instagram to schedule classes and talk about yoga from anywhere. She is a yoga teacher and best-selling author. For instance, she encourages her audience to practice yoga every day with her hashtag #yogaeverydamnday. Besides, she also gives her audience insights into the philosophy of yoga. One of her influencer campaigns involved a partnership with Swedish coffee brand, Gevalia Kaffe.

6. Joe Wicks

Joe Wicks is a body coach who rose to fame when he published a cookbook series titled ‘Lean in 15’. Firstly, his motto is to help people transform their bodies by eating right and exercising regularly. On the other hand, Wicks started his journey on Twitter and then moved to Instagram. He has an online workout regime and DVDs. In addition, his 90-day workout regime involves exercises and many healthy recipes. As a result, over one million viewers watched his debut TV show- Joe Wicks: The Body Coach which aired in August 2016.

More importantly, he has been featured in The Daily Mail, The Times and Cosmopolitan. Further, he collaborated with rice brand; Uncle Ben’s. He actively promoted one of their products by producing a set of videos about healthy dishes prepared using the product. To sum up, the unique voice in his creative videos makes him one of the most recognized social media influencer.

#Tech

1. Marques Brownlee

Marques Brownlee provides posts reviews on consumer gadgets and other tech topics. He started his journey at a very young age of 16 by posting software tutorials and screencasts. Besides, he is called the ‘best technology reviewer on the planet’ by Google. Moreover, Brownlee has amassed 7.3 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. Therefore, he tops the list of social media influencers. In addition, he has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands – Apple, Nike, YouTube, and Tesla. Above all, his video on unboxing the iPhone 7 in 2016 garnered around 10 million views!

2. Unbox Therapy

Lewis Hilsenteger is a Canada-based tech influencer known for his YouTube channel, Unbox Therapy. His videos on gadget reviews are viral, garnering millions of views! Firstly, he began his journey in 2011 with the intent to showcase “the coolest products on the planet…”. Besides, his page has everything that tech fans want, i.e., product unboxing and reviews. As a result, he is among the most significant social media influencers in tech across the world. In addition, he has worked with mega brands like LG, XFINITY, Microsoft, and Intel. He collaborated with LG to promote the Wallpaper TV in 2017.

3. Austin Evans

Austin Evans with his tech vlogs, shares reviews on different gadgets. Meanwhile, he has a huge fan following, with his YouTube channel having around 3 million subscribers. He is a well recognised social media influencer. Most importantly, brands like Tesla, LastPass, Audible, HP, and Amazon, have recognized his prowess. He worked with HP to showcase their HP Envy x360.

4. Linus Tech Tips

Linus Sebastian, a famous Canadian tech enthusiast, created Linus Tech Tips in 2008. The channel focus was to post about computer hardware. To clarify, he takes viewers through the unboxing and review of hardware products. Sebastian has gained a large following of around 7 million subscribers. Further, he also educates his viewers on various concepts. He was featured among the top tech influencers by Forbes in 2017. Recently, he posted this video sponsored by Sony showcasing the Sony HT Z 9F speaker bar.

5. UrAvgConsumer

Judner Aura is all about making tech and tech products accessible to the average consumer. As a result, this approach has made him very popular, and he has earned around 2 million subscribers. Moreover, his recommendations are worth the time. And the channel features products from the cheapest to the most expensive – smartphones, TVs, headphones, etc.

Further, he has worked with Colorware and Microsoft. Besides, Intel sponsored his video on a review of HP Omen 15.

6. Erica Griffin

Erica Griffin’s funny, charming tech vlogs who has earned followers over time. Firstly, she began her journey by posting tech vlogs after graduation. Most prominent female tech influencers because of her knowledge and personality. In other words, she publishes detailed reviews on phones, laptops, consoles, etc. Similarly, Erica has worked with a range of tech brands like Samsung, Apple, and Xperia. One of her sponsored collaborations with Samsung was showcasing the Galaxy Note 8. Hence, the strong hold on technical aspect makes her the most qualified social media influencer.

#Travel

1. Hand Luggage Only

College friends Yaya and Lloyd decided to turn their passion for travel into a travel and lifestyle blog in 2014. As a result, they aim to showcase the world’s most beautiful destinations in the best light. Further, they are among the most famous social media influencers in the travel world. Also, recently nominated for the Vuelio Blog Awards for their photography and description of destinations. More importantly, they have traveled to destinations including Portugal, USA, Australia, and Croatia. In conclusion, their blog is among the most popular ones in the UK.

2. Murad and Nataly Osmann

Murad Osmann and his wife Nataly are very well-known travel influencers. They rose to fame after a photo of Nataly pulling him towards a wall filled with graffiti went viral. Firstly, they started a photo series in 2011 called ‘FollowMeTo’ which became a huge hit. This hashtag has been used in 1 million posts on Instagram. Hence, Murad’s and Nataly’s profiles now have around 4 million and 1 million followers respectively. Besides, the duo has worked with major brands for promoting their services. One of their campaigns was with Macy’s. They were the ambassadors for Macy’s International Concepts label. Meanwhile, the post on Instagram was a picture of Murad holding Nataly’s hand in signature #followmeto style. In which Nataly was donning an outfit from Macy’s.

3. Chris Burkard

Chris Burkard is a travel influencer and photographer. His posts capture the scenery of different places. Certainly, he began his journey as a freelance photographer. Subsequently, it directed him to be featured by big clients like American Airlines, Apple and Volcom. Henceforth, Burkard has become hugely popular because of his photojournalistic approach. In addition, he has gathered around 3 million followers on Instagram. Currently works as the senior staff photographer at Surfer Magazine. In short, he has earned several accolades for his talent, making him a credible social media influencer.

4. Jack Morris

Jack Morris is a popular travel influencer whose brainchild was the blog, Do You Travel. He and his girlfriend, Lauren Bullen (@gypsea_lust) took social media by storm with their picturesque travel destinations on Instagram. Moreover, they are known to charge up to 7000 euros per post. Jewelry brand, Tiffany and Co. signed on Jack Morris to appeal to the millennial audience at a deeper level.

5. Alex Strohl

Alex Strohl is best known for his landscape and outdoor photography and films. He is known for his storytelling skills which give him the upper hand as a social media influencer. Besides, Alex has an impressive 2 million followers on Instagram. Above all, his work is featured in Forbes, Vanity Fair, and Gentleman Journal. Canon and Land Rover have recognized his talent. He teamed up with Land Rover to capture a good view of the solar eclipse in 2017. Strohl took a trip to Railroad Ridge in a Land Rover Discovery to capture this photograph.

6. Emily Luxton

Emily Luxton is a solo female traveler and social media influencer. Besides, she is all about removing any misconceptions about solo female travel. Her blog is full of engaging stories about every single aspect of travel like culture and food. Therefore, her blog has inspired several young women around the world. In addition, She is the owner of travel agency Emily Luxton Travels. Her approach to making travel more meaningful has earned her many accolades.

As a result, she has won Wanderlust Magazine’s Travel Blog of the Year and was nominated four times consecutively. Brands offering services specifically for women travelers can consider approaching Luxton. Luxton has written reviews for large hotels and resorts and on her blog. One of her top-performing posts was about the Cancun Beach Palace.

And we’re done!

Social media influencers are undoubtedly valuable. They showcase authenticity and appeal to their audience. A systematic approach is helpful once you have set your mind on working with an influencer. Set your objectives, find the right influencer. Ensure to find the one whose target audience matches yours. Work with a social media influencer today and grow your brand!